Vocabulary
1. In Passage 1, what does “habitats” mean?
A. Places where animals find food only
B. Natural places where plants and animals live
C. Areas where people store trash
D. Tools scientists use to study wate
1. Why did the author write “The Journey of Ocean Plastic”?
A. To tell a fictional story about a sea turtle
B. To persuade readers to visit the ocean
C. To explain how ocean plastic spreads, causes problems, and can be reduced
D. To describe how to build a fishing boat
C. To explain how ocean plastic spreads, causes problems, and can be reduced.
1. A wrapper is dropped on a sidewalk during a rainstorm. Based on Passage 1, where might it travel next?
A. Directly into a landfill every time
B. Into the ground where it disappears
C. Into a forest far from any water
D. Into a storm drain, then possibly a stream or river
D. Into a storm drain, then possible a stream or river
1. Which detail from Passage 1 supports the idea that plastic can travel far from where it was thrown away?
A. Rain can wash wrappers into drains that lead to streams and rivers
B. Plastic products are light and strong
C. Scientists use photographs
D. Towns can organize cleanups
A. Rain can wash wrappers into drains that lead to streams and rivers
1. What is the purpose of the sidebar “Ways to Study Ocean Plastic” in Passage 1?
A. To list ocean animals
B. To explain how to build a boat
C. To show research methods and what they help scientists do
D. To list the names of every scientist
C. To show research methods and what they help scientists do
2. In Passage 1, what does “fragments” mean when describing tiny pieces of plastic?
A. Small pieces broken off a larger object
B. Large objects floating on the ocean
C. Special tools used by researchers
D. Materials that dissolve in water
A. Small pieces broken off a larger object
2. Why does the author explain how rain can carry wrappers from sidewalks into streams and rivers?
A. To show how litter on land can eventually reach the ocean
B. To explain why rainwater is unsafe to drink
C. To describe how rivers are created
D. To show why people should avoid walking near streams
B. To explain why rainwater is unsafe to drink
2. Why might scientists study ocean plastic on more than one trip?
A. Plastic moves, so comparing trips can show changes in its amount or location
B. Plastic always stays in the same place
C. Scientists need to count every fish in the ocean
D. Each trip makes the plastic disappear
A. Plastic moves, so comparing trips can show changes in its amount or location
2. Which detail shows that the plastic accumulation zone is not a solid island?
A. Scientists collect samples from boats
B. Some plastic breaks into tiny pieces
C. It is a wide stretch of water with plastic spread across and below the surface
D. Communities can improve waste collection
C. It is a wide stretch of water with plastic spread across and below the surface
2. How does the chart in Passage 2 help readers understand waste categories?
A. It organizes waste types, examples, and notes about how they are handled
B. It shows how many people live in each town
C. It lists every landfill in the country
D. It explains how ocean currents move
A. It organizes waste types, examples, and notes about how they are handled
3. In Passage 1, what does “disturbing” mean when the author explains that cleanup can affect other ocean life?
A. Measuring carefully
B. Moving something to a new place
C. Bothering or disrupting something
D. Protecting something from danger
C. Bothering or disrupting something
3. Why does the author describe seabirds swallowing plastic and turtles getting caught in nets?
A. To explain how these animals find food
B. To compare birds with turtles
C. To show that ocean animals live only near beaches
D. To explain ways ocean plastic can harm living things
D. To explain ways ocean plastic can harm living things
3. What can you conclude about cleaning up all the plastic already in the ocean?
A. It can be finished in one day
B. It is difficult because plastic spreads out and tiny pieces are hard to collect
C. It is unnecessary because plastic does not affect animals
D. It is easy as long as scientists use nets
B. It is difficult because plastic spreads out and tiny pieces are hard to collect
3. Which detail best supports the conclusion that measuring ocean plastic is difficult?
A. Many plastic products are useful
B. Tiny pieces are spread out, keep moving, and may be hard to see without special equipment
C. Workers cover landfill waste with soil
D. People can use reusable bottles
B. Tiny pieces are spread out, keep moving, and may be hard to see without special equipment
3. If you wanted to learn what scientists discover by taking photographs, which text feature would help you most?
A. The passage title
B. The final paragraph of Passage 2
C. The heading about preventing litter
D. The “Ways to Study Ocean Plastic” sidebar or table
D. The “Ways to Study Ocean Plastic” sidebar or table
4. In Passage 2, what are “inspectors”?
A. People who collect trash from homes
B. People who design reusable bags
C. Workers who transport waste to the ocean
D. People who examine a place to check that rules are followed
D. People who examine a place to check that rules are followed
4. Why does the author describe the steps workers follow at a landfill?
A. To convince readers that all trash should be buried
B. To help readers understand how waste is managed at a landfill
C. To explain how people can build their own landfills
D. To show why landfills should be placed near rivers
B. To help readers understand how waste is managed at a landfill
4. Why might a community use recycling, reusing, composting, and landfills instead of relying on just one method?
A. Every kind of waste can be handled in exactly the same way
B. Landfills can accept every item without special rules
C. Different kinds of waste need different methods, and not everything can be recycled or reused
D. Recycling always creates more trash than it removes
C. Different kinds of waste need different methods, and not everything can be recycled or reused
4. Which detail from Passage 2 shows that landfills are designed with environmental protection in mind?
A. Families unpack groceries
B. Some items cannot be recycled
C. Landfills may receive waste from businesses
D. Protective liners help keep liquid from reaching groundwater
D. Protective liners help keep liquid from reaching groundwater
4. How does a heading about preventing litter from reaching the water help readers?
A. It tells readers the passage is about building boats
B. It signals that the section will explain actions that keep new plastic out of the water
C. It lists all the types of plastic found in landfills
D. It gives the exact number of pieces of plastic in the ocean
B. It signals that the section will explain actions that keep new plastic out of the water
5. In Passage 1, what does “challenging” mean when the author explains that measuring ocean plastic is difficult?
A. Easy to finish
B. Difficult and requiring effort
C. Unimportant to scientists
D. Likely to happen quickly
B. Difficult and requiring effort
5. Why do both passages include actions people or communities can take to manage waste and protect the environment?
A. To prove that environmental problems are easy to solve
B. To entertain readers with stories about cleanup crews
C. To inform readers that there are ways to reduce waste and environmental harm
D. To explain why scientists should stop studying waste
C. To inform readers that there are ways to reduce waste and environmental harm
5. Based on both passages, why might preventing waste be more effective than depending only on cleanup?
A. Cleanup tools can remove every piece of plastic, no matter how small
B. Waste stops affecting the environment as soon as it is thrown away
C. Landfills can store unlimited amounts of waste without any concerns
D. Prevention reduces new waste before it spreads, while existing waste can be difficult to collect or manage
D. Prevention reduces new waste before it spreads, while existing waste can be difficult to collect or manage
5. Which statement is best supported by evidence from both passages?
A. People need only landfills to manage all waste safely
B. Preventing waste and using different waste-management methods can help reduce environmental harm
C. Ocean plastic can be completely removed with one tool
D. Recycling is possible for every item in every community
B. Preventing waste and using different waste-management methods can help reduce environmental harm
5. How do the sidebar in Passage 1 and the chart in Passage 2 serve similar purposes?
A. Both tell a fictional story about waste
B. Both explain the events in a scientist’s life
C. Both organize information so readers can quickly find specific details
D. Both show the exact amount of trash produced every day
C. Both organize information so readers can quickly find specific details